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138 HURRIED TO A WATERY GRAVE.be entertained, as there are too many interests in Galveston thatcannot be transplanted, and that have not been so badly affected bythe storm as to render them useless.Railroads are already reconstructing bridges across the bay,and trade will be moving through the port within a fortnight.To protect the city of Galveston from the ravages of futurecyclones would be almost as costly as to re-establish the city on anew site.This is the opinion of eminent engineers in Washington. Toinsure the maintenance of the channel it has been necessary toerect jetties which have cost more than $6,ooo,ooo. These jetties,however, do not furnish an obstacle of any importance to the invasionof the sea when behind it is a force such as a West Indiacyclone exerts.Because of the effect of storms upon the Gulf coast, it hasbeen customary for engineer officers stationed at Galveston to reportyearly upon the appearance of atmospheric disturbances of morethan usual intensity, and Captain Rich, the engineer officer who isbelieved to have lost his life, said in his report for I899 that stormswhich occurred during April, May and June, 1899, "carried awaynearly all that remained of construction trestle and track andcaused more or less settlement of the jetties."GREAT NEED OF A SAFE HARBOR.The need of a safe deep-water harbor on the Gulf of Mexicohas long been appreciated, and in I899 Congress passed an act directingthe Secretary of War to appoint a Board of three engineerofficers of the army to make a careful and critical examination ofthe American coast of the Gulf of Mexico west of 93 degrees and30 minutes west longitude, and to " report as to the most eligiblepoints for a deep harbor, to be of ample depth, width and capacityto accommodate the largest ocean-going vessels and the commercialand naval necessities of the country."The Board consisted of Lieutenant-Colonels H. M. Robert,G. L. Gillespie and Jared A. Smith. It is reported that Galvestonwas the most eligible point for a deep harbor, but also called atten,

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Lester, Paul.The great Galveston disaster, containing a full and thrilling account of the most appalling calamity of modern times including vivid descriptions of the hurricane,
book,
1900~;
(texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth26719/m1/169/:
accessed August 18, 2017),
University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu;
.